The month-long deep-sea exploration of the South China Sea ended Wednesday with the discovery of polymetallic nodules and ancient hydrotherm which will help in exploiting metal resources and will provide the materials needed to manufacture military and aerospace equipment, observers said. Scientists have made great discoveries through the exploration, and the data and samples collected […]

ONBOARD BRP DAVAO DEL SUR: Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to shield President Rodrigo Duterte from any attempt to remove him from office, the Chief Executive has revealed. Duterte made the statement on Tuesday as he again touted the Philippines’ and China’s blooming ties under his leadership. “The assurances of Xi Jinping were very encouraging. […]

China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier began sea trials on Sunday, the latest step in the country’s mission to develop a modern, adaptable naval force. It was a milestone for the Chinese navy and could have long-term effects on the Asia-Pacific region. “China’s efforts to develop aircraft carriers are in line with the interests of […]

Chinese loans worth hundreds of billions of dollars are saddling Australia’s smaller regional neighbours with unsustainable debts and giving Beijing crucial economic leverage to gain strategic and military power, warns a new independent report written for the US State Department. http://www.afr.com/news/politics/world/us-secret-report-china-debt-trap-on-australias-doorstep-20180513-h0zzwd

Richard Heydarian writes that the fate of the Philippine president’s post-America foreign policy likely is to be decided by what happens in the contested South China Sea For almost two years, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has painstakingly moved to normalise bilateral relations with China. A consummate pragmatist, the mayor-turned-president views the Asian powerhouse as an […]

Early this week, Japan and the Philippines conducted what was characterized by some as a joint maritime patrol near the South China Sea. While few specifics have been publicly disclosed, the engagement has nonetheless once again put the spotlight on the defense relationship between the two countries amid continued troubling developments in the South China […]

Detained Senator Leila de Lima described as hilarious the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte that China will protect the Philippines amid reports that the latter has installed missile systems in the Spratly Islands. “This is hilarious, because the only country from whom the Philippines needs protecting is China. Only Duterte needs China’s protection. The rest […]

AFTER years of maneuvering, China has gotten what it wanted all along: strengthen its control of the disputed territories in the South China Sea. Reports from the US network CNBC say it all. Chinese missiles (anti-ship cruise missiles and surface to air missiles) and missile systems have been installed in Kagitingan, Zamora and Panganiban reefs […]

According to none other than Xi Jinping, if Beijing hopes to achieve “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” by the middle of the 21st century, it is necessary that it become a “maritime great power” (海洋强国). What does this goal mean to China’s leaders, and what are the implications of Beijing’s latest round of […]

In its editorial, the paper draws attention to the decaying state of the Philippine-held islands in the disputed Spratly waters and calls for remedial measures. MANILA (PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – President Duterte has a standard response to critics who point out that despite the government’s deferential stance toward China, it has virtually taken […]